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Chair Research Report Format and Guideline
JOMUN XIV
Forum: International Criminal Court
Issue: Albert Speer
Student Officer: Meletiy L. O. Zyla
Position: Deputy President
INTRODUCTION
Berthold Konrad Hermann Albert Speer (March 19, 1905 – September 1, 1981) was a
German born architect who was an integral part in the Nazi Regime’s engineering
(architectural, civil, mechanical). Speer has been called many things: a student, an architect,
an assistant, a friend, a teacher, a genius, a miracle man, and a criminal. The one of concern
now is the last. Was Albert Speer a criminal? The following is an account of him, his life, and
possible outcomes of a court trial regarding the charge of crimes against humanity placed
on him.
Speer has been dubbed “the Nazi who said sorry” because he pled guilty at the
Nuremburg trials. He was an apologist for the Nazi regime for which he served so long and
did so much. In his 20 years in prison for his crimes, he wrote that he felt like an outcast
from his six fellow prisoners: of the seven, he was the only apologist and the only one who
pled guilty. In his writing, Speer discusses how he was proud and ready to help Hitler rule
the world, but claimed remorse and disgust at the Hitler’s intentions to "ethnically cleanse"
the world. He also claimed not to be aware of the intentions to do so, yet also admitted to
attending a seminar in which the Fuhrer made clear these intentions.
Are the actions of Albert Speer, under Adolph Hitler, (building buildings, designing
rallies, assuming the role as minister of armaments, etc.) enough to justify him as a
criminal? What sentence should he face? Was he the mastermind or was he just executing
the will of Hitler? Was Albert Speer a criminal?
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DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS
Nazism (National Socialism)
 The set of political beliefs and morals established, and practiced, by the Nazi Party of
Germany. Notable characteristics of the ideology include anti-Semitism and scientific
racism.
The Nazi Party
 A German political party which was active between 1920 and 1945 that practiced
Nazism. It was founded by Anton Drexler but is famously known to have been lad by
Adolf Hitler.
World War II
 Said to be the deadliest conflict in human history, this global war lasted from 1939 to
1945. The estimated casualty count from the war is close to 60 million. This is
estimated to be 3% of the global population at the time.
The Allied Powers (Allies)
 Generally, the ‘Allies’ included all the wartime members of the United Nations. During
World War II, the ‘major’ nations in this alliance were: Great Britain, France (except
during the German occupation of France, 1940–44), the Soviet Union (after June
1941), the United States (after December 8, 1941), and China. This alliance fought
against the Axis Powers in the war.
The Axis Powers
 This World War II alliance was founded on a series of agreements between the nations
of Germany and Italy. Its members included the aforementioned counties in addition
to Japan, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. This alliance fought against the Allied
Powers in the war.
The Holocaust
 The state-sponsored, systematic genocide of 6 million Jews in Europe by the Nazi
regime. Two thirds of the global Jewish population was murdered.
The Nuremburg Trials
 A series of 13 trials held in Nuremburg, Germany in the aftermath of World War II
(1945-1949) with the purpose of brining justice to the Nazi war criminals. The
defendants at the trials were Nazi War criminals. There they were tried for crimes
against humanity and crimes against peace.
Crimes against Humanity
 Acts that are committed as an attack on a civilian population. Many of the Nazi war
criminals were tried at Nuremburg for these crimes alongside crimes against peace.
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The Flensburg Government
 The legislative cabinet formed during the War of Berlin in the period after the suicide
of Adolf Hitler. It was headed by Karl Dönitz existed from the 3rd to the 23rd of May,
1945. Despite only being in power just for under three weeks, it played a key role in
the life of Albert Speer.
Spandau Prison
 The prison, located in Western Berlin housed the seven convicted Nazi war criminals
after the Nuremburg trials. The seven prisoners include: Baldur von Schirach, Erich
Raeder, Konstantin von Neurath, Karl Dönitz, Albert Speer, Walther Funk, and Rudolf
Hess.
BACKGROUND ON THE ISSUE
It must first be made clear that in the court trial of Albert Speer, it is the man’s work that
is being considered and there can be no prejudice based solely on his affiliation with the
Nazi Party. The issue at hand concerns only the crimes of the one aforementioned
individual.
Albert Speer’s work is discussed in detail in the sections below.
MAJOR COUNTRIES AND ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED
Judges:
The ultimate decision makers in the trial(s) of Albert Speer. It is the role of the judge(s) to
listen to the cases presented by the defense and prosecution. The judge(s) will also be
responsible for determining conclusion of the case. The judge(s) are to be addressed by the
speaking party in the court. If Speer is to be found guilty, the sentencing will also be
ultimately decided by the judge(s).
Prosecution:
At the trial, the prosecution will be responsible for generating and presenting a case for the
guilt of Albert Speer. It will address the judge, presenting a case constructed of evidence
and reasoning (perhaps through the use of witnesses).
Defense:
At the trial, the defense will be responsible for generating and presenting a case for the
innocence of Albert Speer. It will address the judge, presenting a case constructed of
evidence and reasoning (perhaps through the use of witnesses).
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Witnesses:
During the trial, witnesses are to be called on by the prosecution and/or the defense.
Multiple eye-witness reports can be found which describe the atrocities of the war. For
example, the eyewitness account of Hermann Graebe, a German engineer, who, on October
5th, 1942 saw an execution squad killing hundreds of people outside a small town in Ukraine.
Perhaps the witness can describe events that they encountered regarding Albert Speer
which can offer further insight to the judges as to the innocence or guilt of the architect.
People which could be involved in the trial might include:
 Members of the Nazi Party
 Members of the Flensburg Government
 Members from the delegations composing the Allied Powers
 Members from the delegations composing the Axis Powers
 Margarete Weber, wife of Albert Speer
TIMELINE OF KEY EVENTS
The following timeline highlights the key events in the life of Albert Speer. They are to be
used in order to assist the prosecution and/or defense in generating their case.
1905- 1928 (Early Life)
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March 19th Albert Speer born in
Mannheim into an upper-middle-class
family
Parents were Luise Máthilde
Wilhelmine and Albert Friedrich Speer
Family moved to Heidelberg
Speer studied at University of
Karlsruhe
Hyperinflation Crisis
Speer transferred to the Technical
University of Munich
Befriended Rudolf Wolters, who was a
fellow student of architecture
Speer transferred to the Technical
University of Berlin
Speer passes his exams and assumes
the role of assistant for his teacher
Heinrich Tessenow
August 28th Speer married Margarete
(Margret) Weber in Berlin
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1930
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December: Speer attended a Nazi
rally, his first of many
1931
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March 1st: Speer became a member of
the Nazi Party
Also in 1931, Speer moved to
Mannheim
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1933
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January: Speer returned to Mannheim
Hitler took office January 30th
Speer asked to submit designs for the
Nuremburg rally, wins the fondness of
Hitler
The position of Commissioner for the
Artistic and Technical Presentation of
Party Rallies and Demonstrations of
the Nazi Party given to Speer
Germany exists League of Nations in
October
1934
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January 21st: Speer becomes the chief
architect for the Nazis
1937
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Speer appointed by Hitler as the
General Building Inspector for the
Reich Capital, undersecretary of state
in the Reich Government
With this position he was responsive
only to Hitler
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1938
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1939
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1940
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January Speer asked to build new
Reich Chancellery
November 9th-10th: Kristallnacht
In January the Chancellery finished in
a seventh of the time it would have
under normal conditions
September 1st: Nazis invaded Poland
November 8th: assassination attempt
of Hitler failed
Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet
Union at the time dubbed Speer the
“Architect of the Reich” and invited
him to Moscow
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1940 (continued)
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Hitler disallowed the trip
The war continued to rage through
Europe and North Africa
1941
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Germany declared war on Soviet
Union and Albert Speer began to
doubt his projects for Berlin would
ever be achieved
1st use of gas chambers at Auschwitz
War continued
December 7th: Japan bombed the U.S.
December 8th: U.S. declared war
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1942
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1943
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1944
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January 1st: 26 allied nations signed
the Declaration of the United Nations
February 8th: Minister of Armaments,
Fritz Todt died in a plane crash and
Speer given the position by Hitler
War continued through Europe,
Africa, over the Atlantic and the
Pacific
Albert Speer’s successes continued,
he was dubbed “[a true] genius with
organization”
By late 1943, there was speculation
that Speer could be successor to
Hitler as Fuhrer
Speer oversaw the construction and
usage of the V-1 and V-2 rockets
War raged on with territory gains and
losses on every front
Speer was away from office for three
months with illness
In April Speer’s position was debated
and his rivals had made a case for
assuming control of some of the
power he held in the regime
On discovering this, Speer offered a
letter of resignation to Hitler should
there be a redistribution of power
Letter of resignation withdrawn by
Speer and the work at the office
continued after Hitler announced that
"everything [will] stay as it was,
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1944 (continued)
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1945
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1946
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[Speer will] remain the head of all
German construction"
According to Speer, despite the fact
that he was successful in this debate,
Hitler was also victorious, "because he
wanted and needed me back in his
corner, and he got me"
In July, Speer was found to have been
part of a group conspiring to
assassinate Adolph Hitler
Was spared within the Nazi Regime as
he was still “to be won over” within
the conspirators
Germany was producing enough
military equipment to supply 270
divisions, they had only 150 active
divisions
On June 6th Allies launched mass
invasion of German-occupied France
(D-Day)
War continued
By February Speer had told Hitler the
war was lost
Germany was producing 1/4th of the
coal it had in 1944
March 19th: Nero Decree issued
Despite protesting the Nero Decree,
Speer “[stood] unconditionally behind
[Hitler]” granted he had exclusive
power to implement the Nero Decree
April 22nd: Speer met with Hitler for
the last time
April 30th: Adolf Hitler committed
suicide
Speer joins the Flensburg Government
October 24th: United Nations formed
November 20th: Nuremburg Trials
begin
Nuremburg Trials conducted
1st October Speer was sentenced to
20 years in prison
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1947
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July 18th: Speer and the other six
prisoners were flown to Berlin and
put into Spandau Prison
1954
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Speer had completed his memoirs
1966
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October 1st: Speer released from
Spandau Prison
1981
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Albert Speer died on September 1st
while in London to record for the BBC
program Newsnight
RELEVANT DOCUMENTS AND EVENTS
The following is a brief account of documents and events which are relevant to the issue at
hand include, but are not limited to:
The Ruling from the Nuremburg Trials
The Nero Decree (1945)
- This decree, issued by Adolph Hitler on March 19, 1945, ordered for the
buildings and structures built by the Nazis in Germany to be destroyed so
they could not be used by the allied powers in their German occupation.
- Albert Speer was given some jurisdiction over the decree in an attempt to
preserve some of the architect’s work.
Books written by Albert Speer (containing diary entries, memoirs, etc.)
 Inside the Third Reich
 Spandau: The Secret Diaries
 Infiltration
The Nuremburg Trials
- The official transcripts from the Nuremburg Trials.
The Imprisonment of Albert Speer
- Documentation on which the sentence of Albert Speer is written.
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PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS TO SOLVE THE ISSUE
In 1946, Albert Speer was tried for crimes against humanity at the Nuremburg Trials
and was found guilty. On October 1st of the same year, he was sentenced to 20 years in
prison.
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
After all complications of trial and retrial which may occur, as well as the possible
appeal, the trial(s) of Albert Speer in the International Criminal Court will essentially boil
down to one of four options. Either, the court eventually will decide to release him, the
court will place the man under discussed probation, the court will imprison him for a
determined duration of time, or the court can rule to put him to death.
In order for all charges to be lifted from Albert Speer, and the man be released, the
defense would have to present a case in which the man charged is found innocent. The
defense will be wise to remember that the defendant is innocent until proven guilty. There
has to be no reasonable doubt in order for the man to be innocent, however.
Another possibility is that the court will rule to place Speer under probation. The terms
of the probation will be discussed and determined by those in the court and final ruling will
be given by the judge(s).
Speer can be imprisoned for his crimes. The sentence length will be discussed and
determined by those in the court and the final ruling will be given by the judges. It was
mentioned that in Nuremburg, Speer was found guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in
prison.
Finally, Speer can be given the death penalty. The man’s crimes will have been found
severe enough to justify taking his life. The final ruling and method by which Albert Speer
will be put to death will be determined by the judges.
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WORKS CITED
"Albert Speer". Wikipedia. N.p., 2016. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Speer
"Albert Speer - Wikiquote". En.wikiquote.org. N.p., 2015. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Albert_Speer
"Allied Powers | World War II". Encyclopedia Britannica. N.p., 2016. Web. 1 May 2016.
http://global.britannica.com/topic/Allied-powers-World-War-II
"GHDI - Document". Germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 6 May 2016.
http://germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org/sub_document.cfm?document_id=1590
"Google". Google.co.za. N.p., 2016. Web. 1 May 2016.
https://www.google.co.za/webhp?sourceid=chromeinstant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=books%20by%20albert%20speer
History.com Staff,. "Nuremberg Trials". HISTORY.com. N.p., 2010. Web. 1 May 2016.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/nuremberg-trials
Linder, Douglas O. "Nuremberg Trial". Law2.umkc.edu. N.p., 2016. Web. 6 May 2016.
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/nuremberg/nuremberg.htm
"Nazism". Wikipedia. N.p., 2016. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazism
"Spandau Prison". Wikipedia. N.p., 2016. Web. 1 May 2016.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spandau_Prison
"Speer Cross-Examination". Law2.umkc.edu. N.p., 2016. Web. 6 May 2016.
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/nuremberg/Speer.html
"The History Place - World War II In Europe Timeline". Historyplace.com. N.p., 1996. Web. 1
May 2016.
http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/ww2time.htm
"World War II". Wikipedia. N.p., 2016. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II
APPENDIX OR APPENDICES*
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Google Search of Books/Memoirs Written by Albert Speer
https://www.google.co.za/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF8#q=books%20by%20albert%20speer
Official Website of the International Criminal Court
https://www.icc-cpi.int/en_menus/icc/Pages/default.aspx
The Cross Examination of Albert Speer at the Nuremburg Trials
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/nuremberg/Speer.html
The Nero Decree
http://germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org/sub_document.cfm?document_id=1590
Website with Good Quality Information on Nuremburg/War Criminals
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/nuremberg/nuremberg.htm
*Please note that the appendices were not checked thoroughly for bias. Please be advised
to read with caution.
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